Showcase of Blogs with Unique Post Designs

The trend of creating unique designs for each post on a blog is growing.

A few years ago the idea of creating a custom design for each post on a blog either meant you had to forgo traditional blogging software or hack the source code to allow for custom designs.

With the advent of WordPress plugins like Art Direction it’s now relatively simple for a designer to create a custom design for each post on their blog.

The sites below are some of the best examples of sites that use custom designs for many or all of their posts. Some play around with the general layout and color scheme of each post, while others create completely unique concepts for every post.

In either case, the posts are much more interesting because of their design and are reminiscent of magazine layouts (the term “blogazine” is often used to describe these types of blogs and posts). If you know of other sites with custom post designs, please share them in the comments area below.

Team Fortress 2

Team Fortress uses custom designs for major updates. Each post is custom designed, though there is a cohesive aesthetic style present throughout.

Evan Dinsmore

Evan Dinsmore only has a couple of custom-designed posts up so far, but both show just how promising this format is.

I Am Paddy

Paddy Donnelly has a handful of custom-designed posts up, each one very different than the last. The posts make use of different color schemes, layouts, and typography.

Codecandies

Codecandies has a large variety of both custom designed posts and standard blog posts. The designed posts are all unique, and are set apart in the archive with a “Designed” background behind the post title.

The Stray Muse

The Stray Muse designs each post with a completely unique concept, based on the content.

Tease

Tease is another blog that uses a completely unique concept for each post, utilizing different color schemes, graphics, typography, and layouts for each.

Craigmod

Craigmod‘s posts aren’t all unique, but those that are make great use of different graphics, typography, and color schemes.

GregoryWood.co.uk

Gregory Wood‘s site lacks a traditional navigation menu for finding posts, and instead uses “previous” and “next” buttons, meaning visitors are likely see more of his unique blog post designs.

Filmdagbok

Filmdagbok is another site that uses both custom-designed posts and traditional blog post designs. The custom layouts are differentiated with the “Magasinlayout” tag in the archive.

A Way Back

A Way Back only has a couple of custom-designed posts so far (along with a few standard posts), but both are excellent examples of what this format is great for.

Avoid Contact With Eyes

Avoid Contact With Eyes has almost entirely custom-designed posts. Some simply use a different background image, while others are completely custom creations.

The Bold Italic

The Bold Italic uses a custom post design for every post on their site, incorporating custom color schemes, layouts, graphics, and typography.

Coldheat

Coldheat has a mix of custom and standard blog post designs, but they go all out for the custom designs, using unique color schemes, typography and graphics.

Dustin Curtis

Dustin Curtis‘s blog has more than twenty custom-designed posts, each of which is built around the content and uses a unique design concept.

HazardousInk

HazardousInk uses a mix of standard and custom blog post designs, focusing on changes in layout and color scheme over other customizations.

Trent Walton

Every post on Trent Walton‘s site uses a custom header image, and many also incorporate custom backgrounds related to the content.

Travis Gertz

Travis Gertz has custom designs for each post, and also uses simple “previous” and “next” link navigation, rather than a more traditional post archive.

Justwatchthesky

Justwatchthesky uses mostly typopgraphy and color to customize their posts. This is also the only Tumblr blog featured here.

Tony Dewan

Tony Dewan only has two Art Directed posts up so far, but both are unique and great examples. On the article list page, thumbnails of each post are shown, which will be very visually interesting as the list of custom posts grows.

Pumpkin-King.com

Pumpkin-King.com uses custom designs for every post, and also includes thumbnails of each post in the archive.

Kyle Fiedler

Kyle Fiedler has a custom design for each of his posts, making use of different fonts, graphics, and colors for each one.

Jason Santa Maria

Jason Santa Maria is probably one of the widest-recognized users of custom blog post designs. While he doesn’t custom-design all of his posts, a large number of them have at least some customization, and some are barely recognizable as being on the same blog. His archive shows thumbnails of each post.

Design Informer

Design Informer is another site that makes use of both standard posts and custom-designed ones, some of which bear little resemblance to the standard post designs.

Hip Hop Quoted

Hip Hop Quoted uses a completely custom design for each post on their site. Each post has a custom color scheme, typography, graphics, and layout.

From the list, I just visit the DESIGN INFORMER. And that blog was on my Google Reader. :)

http://www.natashastorm.co.za Storm

Really good collection here, and some of the content (in the examples) is interesting too! I have alot of respect to these bloggers, it must take alot of work to custom design most posts. But, it does look brill. :)

http://www.design2express.com/ Matt Hardy

well i would like to put the quote on this post that
“Necessity is the mother of invention ”

Nice collection though for the getting a view of the Screen Designing. voila!

http://www.web-designer.me.uk Lawrence

Wasn’t aware of that WordPress plugin. Definitely going to check it out. The web needs more uniquely designed pages. I think we get a little bored of the same layout day-in day -out when we check our favourite websites.

http://www.readactor.com reADactor

even not all are from “unique” category, few of them are indeed inspirational. thanks.

http://www.goblinridge.co.uk Ted Thompson

Great article. Love Team Fortress 2! Thanks, Ted

http://www.noonewebdesign.com No.1 Web Design

Great collection list, thanks for share!

Franz Marini

Really nice selection. Plenty of inspirational posts, too.

@Swaroop, I don’t think there would be any insurmountable problem in getting these (or at least some of) kind of posts done with WP… But, then, I’m not *so* knowledgeable about heavily customized WP, maybe someone more educated can chime in…

http://www.jordanwalker.net Jordan Walker

Nice list of websites, very appealing.

http://gabediaz.com Gabe Diaz

Wow, this is a great collection of so many amazing examples! I knew of about a handful of the sites you featured but I now I have many more sites to visit and explore…brilliant!

http://k-win.fr kevin

This is really awesome! A lot of inspiration for future works.

http://rachel.learnless.info/ Rachel

These posters are absolutely awesome. really adorable :D

http://www.geeklikeme.net Vin

Thanks for the a great post – I’d like to nominate Panic’s Blog (http://www.panic.com/blog/) as an amendment to this list – they have a great design that’s both fresh and unique.

http://austinpassy.com The Frosty

Cool, I’ve done this for a few of my sites.

Bonnie

Good for creativity. It shows that content design really matters.

However, the danger is that you can loose your website’s identity, which can be hazardous when you try to reach a certain level of fame. Most examples above are quite famous already…

I appreciate when a graphic element (logo, navigation, grid) helps me remember on which website I am and gives me a “visual handle”.

http://tuhinkumar.com Tuhin Kumar

That makes a total of around 30 sites which are Art Directed including Yaron’s site and Pictory. Also I would like you to check my site using the link in the name.

http://www.classesandcareers.com/ Teacher Teacher

Many of these examples show so much talent! Some seem to apply the less is more principle, and I can see the wisdom in that. My 2 favorites on this list of potential blogazines are Travis Gertz and Hazardous Ink. Awesome!

http://johnpaulaguiar.com John Paul

Tease and Trent,, very cool.

http://www.mcintoshmarketing.com/blog Ed Dearborn

Having read David Meerman Scott’s book, The New Rules of Marketing & PR, blogging has become our premier way to market ourselves and even connect people to our social media. I think what you article touches upon is a growing awareness that blogs are powerful when used intelligently.

I love the challenge of designing each article with a unique look and feel, one that compliments the subject matter of the article itself, and it is always nice to see that effort being recognized by my peers.

Great article/list – there are even some on here that are new to me (which I will excitedly be visiting now).

I can’t believe no one here notices anyone of the major mistakes in the use of this trend. Unfortunately most of times these posts are only poor content wrapped in fancy layouts. It makes me sad designers don’t see that. I’m a webdesigner, but I’m also a reader. I want some quality content AND beautiful posts, but why do designers insist in pushing a trend so far it becomes something stupid?

To most of these bloggers: learn to write. Not only draw, sketch and design. And don’t be so self indulgent. It is annoyng.

Some designers are destroying what could be a great idea. Again. Thanx!

http://www.pumpkin-king.com Jeremy Girard

As someone who does art-direct each blog article, I can tell you that I personally approach each entry from the content first and then find visuals to support that content. Just because a blog features richly designed articles does not mean those visuals were given more attention than the content itself – just as a blog that follows the more traditional method of dropping content into a standard template is not necessarily quality writing simply because the author focused solely on content and not on design as well.

Are there some who follow this ‘trend’ whose content is lacking? Of course, but that is certainly not unique to this style. There are many bloggers following this trend who deserve the praise they are receiving and hopefully those whose writing can stand improvement will find inspiration from the sites who are doing this right and find ways to improve their own work.

You call for these bloggers to ‘learn to write’. Does the opposite also hold true in your opinion? Should bloggers who create quality content but who do not provide rich, supporting visuals also ‘learn to design?’ If you’re going to challenge one side to improve their overall offering, it seems only fair to throw the gauntlet down to the other side as well.

J.T. Verkade

I see your point. And yes, I agree with you.

Let’s make better content, and better visuals that support our content. Anything different from this would be “design for design”. What’s the point?

Of course we all love web design and want it to be as beautiful and impressive as possible. I’m only trying to drive some attention to something more complex than just writing X design. That would be the fact that designers sometimes tend to overuse an idea and the initial purpose is, not rarely, lost.

There must be a balance. Some posts are just distracting, polluted or, in the worst case, hard to read.

I like art directed blogs. They’re beautiful, honestly. And of course there are great art blogs when it comes to content. Most of them just could be better. And I have no doubt what we all want to see is better web design.

I just want to make a positive contribution. Anyway it’s only a personal opinion.

http://cherevko.net Ivan Cherevko

Given that people are nominating their favorite every-post-designed blogs as a possible amendment, I’ll chime in as well.

Amazing “blogazine”. Make your post more interesting and not boring.
Thanks for share.

http://www.smashingbuzz.com Smashing Buzz

beautiful blog design showcase, thanks for sharing

http://pixeno.com Pixeno Web Host

The sniper vs. Spy is just class!

http://webylife.com Nikunj

Great Collection the art directed blogs are making the mark in design industries.

http://www.psyched.be/wordpress/ La Cinyc

I like all the graphy touchy feely stuff round here, very inspirational, thinking outside the box…

keep up these examples here!

http://desaindigital.com jeprie

Man, the stink eyebrow is really funny! It seems like a man is staring at you from inside the monitor.

http://antz-media.blogspot.com/ Salil S

Superb designs….

http://www.cmstheme.net CMS Themes

I really like first 2 sites on the list

http://p163.sg Angelee

I love the pumpkin-king.com. The donuts make the website delicious.

http://www.jokolo.fr jokolo

some really nasty work , great, thanks
codecandies make it dope!

http://www.purpleturtleproductions.ca turtle

those are really great..

http://singularityconcepts.com existdissolve

This is awesome. I’m inspired to do the same.

http://500art.blogspot.com juan

i loved that used minimalist concept

http://all-for-design.com/portfolio Auré

AMAZING list !
Thanks for sharing

http://glanceworld.com/ Glance World

Thanks for sharing this amazing list

http://www.pc-fix-up.co.uk steven wall

wow Team Fortress 2 site looks realy good!…I mean it looks like something out of a video game! I love sites which look so different and would love to design a site like that in the future – would this be made in flash?

http://anonymousjcreative.com Gemma

Thanks for the post. Is this the future for web designers because this looks great? I love the idea that design can be put back into the hands of the content creators, the editors, the art directors so that they can display information in the way they want it too. I never even considered unique post designs until today. So, thank you again.